LoL: LCS Week 1 Impressions

Cloud9 and FlyQuest had a flying start to the new season, while pluck and good teamfighting led TSM and CLG to a 2-0 week as well.

K Sante 2 — Tip for the next team C9 is playing against: B_n K_an_e | © Riot Games

It was been a wild ride for LCS fans. After multiple rumors of reduced budgets, some promising roster moves and others that indicated several teams had low ambitions at best, and a move to less watchable slots that was only partially reverted after the Kickoff event, the North American league is finally up and running. Its first two days on Thursday and Friday night saw some expected results and some we did not see coming. Here is what we saw of the NA Elite.

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Unexpected Powerhouses Join C9 at the Top

Though it is only the first week of the season, seeing C9, CLG and TSM can look like a blast from the past for some players. Yet this is just what is happening, with FlyQuest joining the venerable organizations with a 2-0 start as well. Just as importantly, however, several of those teams managed to score wins against teams we saw as a significant challenge.

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Cloud9 was on point against 100 Thieves to get an early win and dominated Golden Guardians, and FlyQuest showed they can be a serious player in the spring split with great performances against TL and Dignitas. More surprising were TSM and CLG’s victories, as the teams struggled early in some of their games but were able to get back in the game with good teamfighting.

100 Thieves and Evil Geniuses Show Weaknesses

The middle of the table currently has two teams we have high expectations of, 100 Thieves and Evil Geniuses. While they showed some very promising moments and were decisive in the games they won, they had their weaknesses as well. 100T were outclassed in several ways against C9 and while EG started strong against Counter Logic Gaming, they could not press their lead and fell behind as the game went on.

A classic @Doublelift1 interview. #LCS pic.twitter.com/xvJL8F1RiB
— LCS (@LCSOfficial) January 28, 2023

TL and Dignitas Flop at the Start

Four teams ended the opening week 0-2 and while we didn’t have the highest hopes for Immortals and Golden Guardians, the two teams showed occasional glimpses of brilliance but couldn’t seal the deal. Seeing Team Liquid here is a bit of a shocker, yet the much-hyped for squad showed some coordination issues that both FQ and TSM were able to exploit. Dignitas, meanwhile, flopped hard against CLG and while they looked somewhat better in their second game eventually lost control of the map.